The invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing device as defined in the opening part of claim 1.
Such a recording and/or reproducing device is described in, for example, the two European priority patent applications of Nov. 12, 1998 having the application numbers 98 890 335.7 and 98 890 336.5. This known recording and/or reproducing device has already been shown at the Comdex fair of Las Vegas in the USA from Nov. 15, 1998 and is known therefrom.
The pull-out element in the known recording and/or reproducing device basically has a cross-sectional shape of a circular segment. The pull-out element is thus basically bounded by a bounding wall shaped as an arc of circle and by a plane bounding wall, the plane bounding wall extending substantially parallel to the pull-out direction when the retaining means for the pull-out element are in their operating position. In the area of the bounding wall the pull-out element has a recess which is adapted to receive a cassette-mounted coupling element, i.e. a coupling pin. The recess has an oblique entry surface which is inclined with respect to the pull-out direction and which terminates in a vertex which adjoins a deepened portion which is shaped as an arc of circle and which serves for engagement with the coupling pin. For detachably retaining the pull-out element the pull-out element is not movable in a direction parallel to the pull-out direction and is movable only slightly in a direction transverse to the pull-out direction, as a result of which during coupling of a cassette-mounted coupling pin to the pull-out element, which is not movable parallel to the pull-out direction, the oblique entry surface of the pull-out element enters operatively into engagement with the cassette-mounted coupling pin owing to the movement of the retaining means from their standby position into their operating position, which causes the coupling pin, which is then supported by cassette-mounted supporting means at its side which is remote from the oblique entry surface of the pull-out element, to be moved in the pull-out direction out of the initial position and to be moved over the oblique entry surface of the pull-out element until the cassette-mounted coupling pin reaches the vertex of the recess for receiving the coupling pin, after which the coupling pin enters the circularly arcuate deepened portion in the pull-out element as a result of the movement of the retaining means into their operating position, which deepened portion is engaged by the coupling pin because a spring-loaded locking slide accommodated in the pull-out element exerts a spring load on the coupling pin in a direction against the pull-out direction. Thus, all in all, during coupling of the coupling pin to the pull-out element the coupling pin should be moved out of its initial position in the pull-out direction with the aid of the pull-out element in order to enable the coupling pin to be coupled to the pull-out element. However, this movement of the coupling pin out of its initial position is possible only because at its side which is remote from the oblique entry surface of the pull-out element and, consequently, from the plane bounding wall of the pull-out element the coupling pin is supported over a comparatively large range of movement with the aid of cassette-mounted supporting means. However, it has been found that such a support of the coupling pin of a cassette is undesirable in many operational situations and that such cassette-mounted supporting means require an undesired amount of space which, in addition, is situated in a cassette area which is to be regarded as critical in respect of the available space.
It is an object of the invention to enable a cassette-mounted coupling element to be coupled to a device-mounted pull-out element in a recording and/or reproducing device of the type defined in the opening part of claim 1 without the cassette-mounted coupling element having to be moved out of its initial position in the pull-out direction during the actual coupling process.
According to the invention, in order to achieve said object the characteristic features defined in the characterizing part of claim 1 have been provided in a recording and/or reproducing device of the type defined in the opening part of claim 1.
By providing the characteristic features in accordance with the invention it is achieved in a simple and reliable manner that coupling between a cassette-mounted coupling element and the device-mounted pull-out element of the recording and/or reproducing device in accordance with the invention is possible without the coupling element having to be moved out of its initial position in the pull-out direction during the coupling process. Thus, a cassette-mounted coupling element can remain in its initial position inside the cassette during the entire coupling process, as a result of which cassette-mounted supporting means which extend over a comparatively large range of movement for supporting the coupling element at the side which is remote from the device-mounted pull-out element are not needed.
In a recording and/or reproducing device in accordance with the invention the second actuating means may be mounted so as to be movable, directly on a chassis for carrying the mechanical parts of the recording and/or reproducing device in accordance with the invention. However, it has proved to be very advantageous if in a recording and/or reproducing device in accordance with the invention, in addition, the characteristic features as defined in claim 2 are provided. Practical tests have proved that such a construction is very reliable and comparatively independent of tolerance effects. Another advantage to be mentioned is that with such a solution the actuating movement for the pull-out element is derived from the actuating movement of the retaining means, which is performed anyway, which is favorable in view of a correct timing of the actuating movements and in view of a simple construction.
In a recording and/or reproducing device in accordance with the invention in which the second actuating means are connected to the retaining means, it has further proved to be very advantageous when, in addition, the characteristic features as defined in claim 3 are provided. This provides a construction which operates as smoothly as possible and which exhibits a minimal friction.
The above-mentioned as well as further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the embodiment described hereinafter by way of example and will be elucidated with reference to this example.